Five Seconds
by GoneRENegade
Summary: If only he had come earlier. Rated T for language and mild depictions of blood.


**A/N:** This has been sitting around in my laptop for awhile and now I finally got to posting it. Not beta'd so all grammatical errors are mine, sorry.

Warning this is not a pleasant fic. Please don't hate me.

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters.

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He was never going to hear that laugh which reminded him of a perfect snow day, starting snowball fights, building snowmans, and lying on the ground creating snow angels. He was never going to see that smile so shy and so elusive, that getting a glimpse of it was a gift in itself and it manages to make his insides grow warm despite the cold that persisted to surround him. Never would he lay eyes on that beautiful blush or feel the soft auburn strands on his finger tips. Never would he be able to map the freckles on that delicate skin or be able to count them. And never would he be able to stare at those mesmerizing green eyes bright with life.

"He trusted you! He fucking trusted you!" he heard the teen scream at him and that snapped him out of his thoughts. He looked up from his spot on the ground and was met with the sight of tears streaming down the brown-eyed teen's cheeks. The boy was being held back by a dark skinned man years older than him. Another stood close by, he resembled the younger boy and it was obvious enough that they were brothers. The pain was evident in their eyes but they held onto it, except for the younger. Both men were staying strong for the boy.

Jack watched as the boy slew him with words, his voice ringing with betrayal, anger, pain and mostly sorrow. A sob escaped the boy's lips and as if a switch was flipped, he stopped trying to free himself and grew limp in the guy's hold, not holding back the sobs that now fully racked his small frame.

"He believed in you man. He held onto you. He waited, for so long he waited for you. And even when you didn't come he didn't blame you at all. He freaking blamed himself for everything." Brown orbs stared at him with such devastation that Jack couldn't even bear to look at them. "I told him you were bad news, but he said you were different. And I believed him too, thinking that maybe he was right. But look where that landed him. You freaking kil-"

"Hiro enough," the guy beside him cut him off. The dark haired teen placed a hand on the younger's shoulder and glanced at the taller man , "Get him inside Wasabi."

"Yeah... Sure thing Tadashi," Wasabi nodded reluctantly and ushered the boy, Hiro, inside. He looked back at Tadashi with a concerned gaze. "You gonna be okay, man?"

Jack saw Tadashi give his friend a reassuring smile, but his eyes spoke the opposite. "Yeah, I will be."

Tadashi watched as Wasabi and Hiro got into the house before he turned to Jack. The corner of his lips was raised in a pained disbelieving smile and he said, "Hiro was right you know. I was never the type to question Hiccup's judge of character because he was never wrong. But after this?" He waved his hand vaguely. "I'm not sure anymore. I was rooting for you. I was hoping so damn much that you would come through and show the person Hiccup kept saying you were."

The raven-haired teen looked at him and Jack flinched at the emotions the male no longer held back. "How could you do that to him? What has Hiccup ever done wrong to you to deserve that?" He was crowding him now, hands gripping the collar of Jack's shirt. "If you- If you've come just- just five seconds earlier. Hell, just a second earlier Hiccup could've-" Tadashi dropped his head unable to finish his words but Jack knew. He knew what Tadashi meant.

A bitter laugh came from the taller teen as his grip on Jack tightened. "But you know what else? Hiccup wouldn't want us to blame you. He'd never forgive us if we did that."

"I'm sorry," Jack said quietly. He didn't know what else to say. It was the only words he could say because anything else was choking him.

Tadashi laughed. It wasn't mocking or anything. There was no hatred nor anger behind it. It was one filled with sadness and defeat. "He loved you." The male simply stated and this time Jack couldn't stop the tears he held back. Something inside him broke at those words and everything was suddenly pouring out.

"Even now, he still loves you." The guy half-sobbed and half-chuckled. "Hiccup was still right though... You did come through, just five seconds late."

And Jack cried. He cried and cried at the reminder of his failure. He held onto Tadashi as he sobbed, repeating the words he could only say. And Tadashi held onto him too.

"Don't hate yourself. If Hiccup was here, he'd say that to you. He'd easily forgive you and give you a second chance, he'd give you as many chances as he could ever give and wouldn't blame you. He would only be glad and focus on the fact that you tried."

 _It's not enough though. It'll never be enough after everything._ But he kept those words to himself. How could he ever live with himself from now on? This by far was the cherry on top of all the shit he had ever done.

How could he think of Hiccup? When all he saw was the bloody smile he gave him and the words "You came" filled with gladness and unspoken love as Jack held him and watched the light die out of those beautiful green eyes.

 _Five seconds. I only needed five seconds more and I could've saved him._


End file.
